Leading outerwear manufacturer Patagonia is partaking in an initiative to restore the grasslands of Argentina.

In an effort to reverse the 100 years of overgrazing on Patagonia’s 15 million acres of grasslands, Patagonia, Inc. has placed the first order of wool from the ranchers of its namesake region. The restoration program has been launched as a collaborative effort between The Nature Conservancy, Argentine rancher network Ovis XXI and Patagonia, Inc. to encourage ranchers to raise and graze their sheep in a sustainable method that protects wildlife and restores native plant species.

Patagonia, Inc. announced this new venture in January 2013, and is the first apparel manufacturer to support the restoration scheme. As the company has learned, sourcing and selling organic wool isn’t enough, as the organic standard does not take into consideration grazing practices. Patagonia’s agreement with Ovis XXI mandates that the ranchers raise their animals in a way that supports the long-term health of the region, and allows native species of plants and wildlife to re-establish healthy populations. Alongside restoration, this collaboration aims to provide a market incentive to attract additional partners and buyers, and more importantly, to encourage adoption of sustainable grazing and raising practices on a larger scale.

A new product line of Patagonia merino wool base layers will be made from this Patagonian wool, and will be available in stores and online in the autumn 2013 collection. The company says that from then on, every single merino baselayer, down to their merino socks, will be made from wool that is sustainably sourced from Patagonian grasslands. The wool from this region is of exceptional quality, and will likely continue to hold up to Patagonia’s reputation as one of the top providers of active and outdoor gear. The product types won’t change, just the origin of the wool, providing the company with their first opportunity to be “able to improve an environment by placing business there,” as Director of Environmental Strategy, Jill Dumain, says.

The complying ranchers use the Grassland Regeneration and Sustainability Standard (GRASS), which align conservation goals and land management protocols set forth by Ovis XXI and The Nature Conservancy. These protocols imitate wildlife grazing patterns, meaning that sheep will be moved from pasture to pasture depending on the condition of grasses. It is projected that proper management of flock sizes, lands and streams will promote higher ground coverage and encourage diversity of native grass species, allowing ranchers, sheep and native flora and fauna to flourish together.

Ranching on the grasslands is a source of livelihood for many of Patagonia’s inhabitants, but has become detrimental to the natural landscape as overgrazing has caused land erosion and desertification. The Southern Temperate Grasslands of Argentina reach over 400 million acres (nearly the size of 3 Californias), of which 20 million acres (10 Yellowstone National Parks) have already turned into deserts due to unsustainable grazing, rendering them unfit for native wildlife or ranching. The collaboration with Patagonia, Inc. is seen as a way to sustain the local economy, alongside restoring the unique ecosystem of the grasslands. The region is home to species such as the guanaco, a relative of the llama, the rhea, a flightless bird similar to an ostrich, and the last large population of the massive Andean condors, all of which are found nowhere else on the planet.

It is hoped that this partnership, which demonstrates a collaborative spirit in co-creating active change, will inspire and advance the implementation of globally sustainable grazing methods in order for sheep ranching and natural habitats to thrive side-by-side. “By working together we can ensure that the ranchers make a good living and that future generations will still know Patagonia as a wild place at the edge of the Earth,” said Chris Pague, an ecologist with the Nature Conservancy.

Images: Patagonia/Tim Davis

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This September, The Nature Conservancy will launch the first controlled study of its kind to assess the impact of trawl fishing off California’s Central Coast-and you can be part of naming the new Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) that will be gathering the data.

The nominations are:

• Beagle -Darwin’s famous ship. Did you know that it’s his 200^th birthday this year?
• Petrale Patrol – Our ROV has sole.
• Rachel Carson – An environmental legend and an inspiration.
• Rock Lobster – What is a sea robin, exactly?
• Nemo – In honor of our latest underwater adventure.

The ROV, which is referred to as an underwater robot that hovers above the seafloor, gathers high-resolution video and still photographs of marine life and habitats – vital data that will be used in the fight to save California’s threatened oceans. The research will focus on soft-bottom seafloor habitats. The species and habitats that are being studied are often found in areas far beyond the grasp of divers, making the ROV crucial in this study.

ROVs are also used by treasure hunters across the world, including the team that unearthed the Titanic. The Conservancy’s ROV is equipped with downward and rear-facing cameras, sonar and a maneuverable arm that can be piloted from the ship or follow charted paths to depths of 3,000 feet.

Data collected by the ROV can also be used to enhance other Conservancy efforts, such as partnerships with local fishermen to pioneer environmentally and economically sustainable fishing techniques.

The Conservancy’s ROV will also be employed to assist the California Department of Fish and Game; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Marine Applied Research and Exploration, and other partners who will  research and monitor deep-sea habitats in the Channel Islands Marine Protected Areas.

Spread the word by becoming a fan of the Nature Conservatory on Facebook.

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